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Terror plot foiled
FIONA HUDSON
in London
August 11, 2006 12:00am
Article from:
A PLOT to use liquid chemical bombs to blow up as many as six planes mid-flight between Britain and the United States has been foiled.
Scotland Yard bosses said terrorists planned to use bombs smuggled on hand luggage to cause "mass murder on an unimaginable scale". England was last night on critical terror alert after police, working with MI5, arrested 21 people over the bomb plan.
Extraordinary security measures after the arrests shut down Heathrow airport, Europe's busiest, and hand luggage was banned on all flights out of the United Kingdom as a precaution.
The US also raised its threat level to red, saying it could not be sure the plot had been completely thwarted.
British Home Secretary John Reid said it was a "very significant plot" aimed at bringing down a number of aircraft.
"We are doing everything possible to disrupt any further terrorist activity," he said. "This will mean major disruption at all UK airports."
Police believe the bombers were conspiring to smuggle liquid explosive devices on board flights between the UK and the US.
Authorities described the anti-terror operation as "fast moving" but stressed they did not believe the attacks were planned for last night, but some time in future.
Security services arrested 21 people, mostly British nationals, in a series of raids across London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley.
Police were searching several premises last night and seeking further suspects. Mr Reid said the alleged plot had the potential to cause considerable loss of life if it had gone ahead.
Most flights to and from Heathrow were cancelled or diverted, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Baby's bottles, contact lense fluid, cups of coffee and other liquids in luggage were closely scrutinised by security staff.
Handbags, backpacks and even glasses cases were banned onboard planes, with passengers restricted to carrying only tickets, passports and wallets.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is on holiday in the Caribbean, had been in constant contact during the police operation, a spokesman said, and had briefed US President George Bush about the situation.
Mr Stephenson said he believed the suspects were "desperate, desperate people", planning acts that no right-minded citizen would tolerate.
The anti-terror operation had been going for several months, he said.
"We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds," he said.
The British Airports Authority, which runs several major airports, told passengers to expect long delays and stringent security measures.
British Airways scrapped more than 200 domestic and European flights.
Heathrow, which normally has 1250 departures and arrivals a day, was closed to arriving European flights, and airlines including Alitalia, Lufthansa, and Aer Lingus cancelled Heathrow flights.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he believed the arrests had greatly disrupted the threat, but precautions were still in order.
"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," he said.
The security alert comes 13 months after four Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's transport network in July last year.
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,20088685-921,00.html
US on high alert as terror plot foiled in UK
WASHINGTON: The US on Thursday raised its security level to the highest category "Red" for commercial flights from Britain in response to an aborted terror plot in Britain.
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said: "The US government has raised the nation's threat level to Severe, or Red, for commercial flights originating in Britain bound for the US."
Earlier on Thursday, the police in London said they had thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight.
Scotland Yard said the aim of the plot was to detonate explosive devices on board the aircraft in hand luggage.
The plot was likely to target flights from Britain to the US, it said. Police made a number of arrests overnight in London.
Responding to the incident, Britain raised its security threat level to 'critical' from 'severe'.
Britain has a five-level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.
Security at the airports across Britain has been beefed up. A total of 18 people had been arrested so far.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1881857.cms
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The president is saying its al qaeda. We shall see.
They are saying on the news allready that they have been working on this plan for some time. There are over 21 arrests so far.
How would they blow up a plane mid flight with chemicals?
FIONA HUDSON
in London
August 11, 2006 12:00am
Article from:
A PLOT to use liquid chemical bombs to blow up as many as six planes mid-flight between Britain and the United States has been foiled.
Scotland Yard bosses said terrorists planned to use bombs smuggled on hand luggage to cause "mass murder on an unimaginable scale". England was last night on critical terror alert after police, working with MI5, arrested 21 people over the bomb plan.
Extraordinary security measures after the arrests shut down Heathrow airport, Europe's busiest, and hand luggage was banned on all flights out of the United Kingdom as a precaution.
The US also raised its threat level to red, saying it could not be sure the plot had been completely thwarted.
British Home Secretary John Reid said it was a "very significant plot" aimed at bringing down a number of aircraft.
"We are doing everything possible to disrupt any further terrorist activity," he said. "This will mean major disruption at all UK airports."
Police believe the bombers were conspiring to smuggle liquid explosive devices on board flights between the UK and the US.
Authorities described the anti-terror operation as "fast moving" but stressed they did not believe the attacks were planned for last night, but some time in future.
Security services arrested 21 people, mostly British nationals, in a series of raids across London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley.
Police were searching several premises last night and seeking further suspects. Mr Reid said the alleged plot had the potential to cause considerable loss of life if it had gone ahead.
Most flights to and from Heathrow were cancelled or diverted, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Baby's bottles, contact lense fluid, cups of coffee and other liquids in luggage were closely scrutinised by security staff.
Handbags, backpacks and even glasses cases were banned onboard planes, with passengers restricted to carrying only tickets, passports and wallets.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is on holiday in the Caribbean, had been in constant contact during the police operation, a spokesman said, and had briefed US President George Bush about the situation.
Mr Stephenson said he believed the suspects were "desperate, desperate people", planning acts that no right-minded citizen would tolerate.
The anti-terror operation had been going for several months, he said.
"We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds," he said.
The British Airports Authority, which runs several major airports, told passengers to expect long delays and stringent security measures.
British Airways scrapped more than 200 domestic and European flights.
Heathrow, which normally has 1250 departures and arrivals a day, was closed to arriving European flights, and airlines including Alitalia, Lufthansa, and Aer Lingus cancelled Heathrow flights.
US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he believed the arrests had greatly disrupted the threat, but precautions were still in order.
"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," he said.
The security alert comes 13 months after four Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's transport network in July last year.
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,20088685-921,00.html
US on high alert as terror plot foiled in UK
WASHINGTON: The US on Thursday raised its security level to the highest category "Red" for commercial flights from Britain in response to an aborted terror plot in Britain.
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said: "The US government has raised the nation's threat level to Severe, or Red, for commercial flights originating in Britain bound for the US."
Earlier on Thursday, the police in London said they had thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight.
Scotland Yard said the aim of the plot was to detonate explosive devices on board the aircraft in hand luggage.
The plot was likely to target flights from Britain to the US, it said. Police made a number of arrests overnight in London.
Responding to the incident, Britain raised its security threat level to 'critical' from 'severe'.
Britain has a five-level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.
Security at the airports across Britain has been beefed up. A total of 18 people had been arrested so far.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1881857.cms
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The president is saying its al qaeda. We shall see.
They are saying on the news allready that they have been working on this plan for some time. There are over 21 arrests so far.
How would they blow up a plane mid flight with chemicals?
